Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Today I had the pleasure of meeting a fellow Ozark herbalist, Kristena :) We met first over the internet a while back but today we met in person and walked around looking at "weeds" at the Compton Botanical Gardens in Bentonville. Her daughter Olivia joined us. You might like to check out Kristena's website, and her blog too.

We saw a few plants that we stopped to pay attention to, but this garden is a great resource for hurried folks; I like to eat lunch here and it helps to break my day if it's been stressful at work. One of the plants I was most excited to see is boneset. I've been searching all over our own land for this one, and it should be there, but I haven't found it. Another one was perilla, which I do have in abundance, but have never really studied it to get to know it better. I do know that it stains my fingers a pretty brown, so if you are interested in natural dyes, this might be a good one. And we saw what I believe to be Lady's Thumb - click on the link to go to a website to read up on it. There was a different name tag near this plant, but I believe the plant it identified was no longer there, or else I am mistaken about the identity.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Is Compton Gardens nice? I'm an AP Environmental Science teacher and I'm planning on taking my students either there or Hobbs for a biodiversity field trip and I know that Compton Gardens supposedly likes to stick with native flora.

Found your blog, btw, via the Freecycle list. I saw your screen name and it piqued my interest.

My mother is an herbalist, but on a limited scale. She lives in Evening Shade, just south of Mountain Home and she's gotten me a little bit into herbs.

Anyway... Thanks!

Roxann said...

Hi Sherri,

Compton gardens are very nice and a great location for a field trip. Dr. Compton was very instrumental in getting the Buffalo River declared a National River and his efforts made sure it would never be dammed (for hydroelectric plants or reservoirs). I've never been to Hobbs, so I can't give you a comparison. it's great that you have at least a little interest in herbs. I think the more you look into them, the more you'll see you want to know :)

Angie Goodloe LMT, Herbalist said...

Hello from one herbalist to another~ Nice blog. I hope to come to the Ozarks sometime for a visit, my Grandma was raised there and I experienced some of the traditions, although I am from the pacific northwest, nice to meet you!

Roxann said...

Hi Angie, it's good to meet you too! I haven't lived here all my life, but the plants that grow naturally here are the ones I've studied and used for so long that this feels like it has always been home :) Give me a holler when you get out here to visit, okay?

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